Buckle



April 23,1Q35.

BUCKLE Fild April 20, 1932 I Mun tom:

Lad/s fir Y Patented Apr. 23, 1935 liNl-TED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE BUCKLE Louis B. Erb, Chicago, Ill.,- assignor to Parva Products of Delaware Application April 20, 1932, Serial No.

' 13 Claims. This invention relates to a buckle and has as a primary object to improve generally and render more efiicient and practical an article of this character.

- The invention has as a further object to providea buckle havlng a loop portion and having and adjusting of the strap.

The invention further provides a buckle having a portion with which a button may be engaged I this invention will become more apparent as the Fig. 1 is a plan view of a buckle position assumed by the button during disen-.

gagement of the button from the buckle;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 1 showing a strap in threaded engagement with the buckle; and c' 1 receiving opening 20 similar to Fig. 4 showing a Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the buckle showing the rear face thereof.

Rieferring then wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout all views, the buckle is shown as comprising a frame designated generally by the reference character Hi. This frame is preferably rectangular in shape and comprises the upper and lower sides II and I2 connected by the spaced sides l3. Bars l4 and, I 5 connect that the frame is divided to form the slots i6, i1 and [8. The side i2 of the define a loop IS, the buttonof which opens into the slot I 8 within the frame.

The buckle may be otherwise formed from renders the several sides, cross bars and loop portion that the central portion on an arc to form this relatively wide portion of the slot l8. The bar I5 is further provided with oifset portions 26 disposed on opposite sides'of the recess 25 and extending toward the side l2 of the frame so that the width of the slot I8 is restricted atthese points. The bar in width between each of the offset portions 26 particularly to the drawingwhich may be, for

drawing, the displaced portion being designated by the reference character 28.

The portions of the side I2 defining the opening into the loop I8 are offset upwardly or forwardly with reference to the remainder of the front face Y bar. I5. Further, adjacent each displaced portion 30 the side i2 of the frame is provided with displaced portions 3 I, these portions being displaced to extend below the plane of the rear face of the portion 28 of bar 55.

The reference character 35 designates a strap example, an overall strap and is shown as being threadedly engaged with the buckle in the following manner. The strap passes downwardly in the rear of the side it of the buckle and then forwardly through slot It.

The strap is then extended around both bars M and I5 and then rearwardly through slot I8. The

I Thegintroduction of the button button from the loop, the button may be tiltedtocloses this opening.

strap is then passed upwardly and forwardly through slot if and then rearwardly and upwardly through slot I5, the free end 36 of the strap being disposed in the rear of the body portion of the strap and thus behind the buckle.

It will be noted that when the strap is thus threadedly engaged with the buckle the line of fold 3! of the strap is positioned adjacent the opening into the loop I9 and thus substantially It will be noted further that the offset portions 26 of the bar I5 engage the strap at the line of fold thereof so that a relative pull between the strap and buckle is exerted on the strap and buckle at the points of engagement of the offset portions of the bar i5 with the strap.

The reference character do designates a garment such, for example, as an overall bib, and fixed to this bib is the shank M of a button 42. This button is a pted to be engaged with the loop I9 of the buckle by positioning the shank M of the button in the opening 20 of the loop.

In use, a strap will be threadedly engaged with the buckle in the manner previously described, and the button will be engaged with the loop I9. into engagement with th? loop is facilitated by virtue of the fact that the portion 28 of the bar I5 is offset forwardly, while the side I2 of the buckle frame is provided with the depressed portions M which are adapted to engage the edge of the button to direct the same forwardly through slot I8 to a-position where the shank of the button is positfoned in the opening 20 with the head of the button engage ing the front face of the loop I9. This position of the button is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

As long as there is a relative pull between the strap and button, the button will remain in the position shown in Fig.4 of the drawing, or, in other words, in the lower end of opening 20. If, however, this relative pull should be relieved and the button should slip upwardly in the loop, it will be noted, by reference to Fig.5 of the drawing, that the displaced portions 30 of the button loop will deflect the button forwardly so as to cause the same to ride over the fold of the strap' 35.

' Thus the button may not become accidentally disengaged from the buttdn loop.

When,however, it is desired to disengage the engage the edge thereof with theadiacent folded portion of the strap, forcing this folded portion stantial extent before into the recess 25, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6

of the drawing,'thus allowing the passage of the button through the slot I8 and thusto disengaged position. a

It is to be noted that the line of fold of the strap being positioned as it is adjacent the outlet opening of the button-receiving loop, constitutes a means for yieldably, maintaining the button in engagement with theloop. Thus it becomes necessary to displace the adjacent folded portion of the strap to effect a disengagement of the button from the loop with the result that the folded'portion of the strap constitutes in' effect a resilient or compressible cushion for maintaining the button in engaged position.

As brought out before, the bar I5 is preferably cut on a definite arc to form the recess 25, and this arc preferably conforms substantially to the curvature of the edge of the button adapted to be engaged in the buckle loop, with the result that when the folded portion of the strap isforced into the recess 25, clearance is provided to permit the passage of the edge of the through slot I8 and thus to disengaged position. It is to be noted further the. the line of fold of the strap is engaged by the offset portions 26 of the bar I5 and that in view of these offset portions and the shallow recesses 21, the side edges of the strap are prevented from slipping inwardly toward the center of bar I5. Thus the folded portion of the strap is held under tension between the offset portions 28 of the bar, the folded portion of the strap thus spanning the recess 25 and constituting a cushioning means as above described.

It is to be noted that the displacement of the portion 28 of the bar I5 serves a double purpose in that it first provides clearance for the edge of button rearwardly the button during introduction of the button into the loop I9, thus facilitating the engagement of the edge of the button with the portions 3| of the side I2 of the frame which aid in guiding the button into the button loop. The displaced portion 28 of the bar I5 serves a further purpose in that it aids in maintaining the under part of the strap 35 in a common plane, thus facilitating the threading and adjustment of the strap.

The folded portion of the strap acting as it does to substantially close makes the buckle adaptable to buttons of different sizes for the reason that this folded portion of thestrap in substance takes up apart of the area ofthe button-receiving loop, which may be considered as comprising not only the opening 20, but also the adjacent portion of the slot I8. Further, the portions 26 of the bar I5 extending as the opening into, loop I9 restrict the width of the slot IS on opposite sides of the loop I9 with the result that movement of the shank of the button longitudinally of the slot I8 is limited. Thus the button may not be moved laterally to a position where it might become disengaged from the button loop by lateral tipping.

The convex outer surfaces of the bar I5 and side I2 makesit necessary to tilt the button a subthe button may be disengaged from the loop. The depressed portions 3|, however, of the loop allow the necessary tilting of the button, with the result that when desired, the button may be readily moved'out of engagement -with the loop.

From the above it will be apparent that the invention provides a buckle which may be econoniically manufactured and which, while providing for the ready engagement of a button with the ment of a button into prevent accidental disengagement of the button from this loop. It will be apparent further that the invention provides a buckle provides a buckle in which the strapmay be readily, adjusted after its threaded en agement with the buckle. I I

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purposes of illustration and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts aswill fall within the purview of the attached claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A new article of manufacture comprising a frame having spaced sides and having a third side formed with a loop portion having an opening to the interior of the frame, said opening being of substantially the same size as the loop, a bar connecting the spaced sides of the frame and cooperating with the loop side of the frame to form a slot in communication with the loop opening and through which a buttonmust pass in its movement into and out of engagement with the loop, said bar having portions disposed in close proximity to the loop side of the frame adjacent the loop therein to limit lateral movement in the said slot of theshank of a button engaged I in the loop.

2. A. new article of manufacture comprising a frame having spaced sides and having a third side provided with a loop portion having an opening of substantially the same size as said loop communicating with the interior of the frame to provide for the movement of a button into and out of engagement with the loop, a bar connecting the spaced side of said frame and'disposed in proximity to the loop side of the frame, said bar being provided w'itlra pair of oflset portions extending toward the loop side of the frame and disposed on opposite sides of the opening into the loop, said bar being provided with recesses between said offset portions, the third side of the frame and the spaced sides of the frame, the arrangement being such that a strap folded around said bar with the line of fold thereof engaging the said ofiset portions of the bar will be so supported by the offset portions as to span the recess in the bar between the said odset portions, the recesses in said bar between the offset portions and the spaced sides of the frame tending to maintain the portion of said strap spanning the space between said offset portions under tension.

3. In combination, a frame having spaced sides and having a third side'fiormed with the interior of the frame said opening being of substantially the same size as the loop and through which opening the shank of a button must pass during movement of the button into or out of engagement with the loop, and means associated with the frame for supportinga strap in folded position adjacent the opening into the loop whereby the line of fold of the strap will yieldably maintain a button in the loop.

' 4. In combination, a frame having spaced sides and having a third side formed with a loop portion having an opening to the interior of the frame, said opening being of substantially the same size as the loop to provide for the moveand out of engagement with with which a .strapmay be easily threadedly engaged and also of the strap the loop to loop.

5. In a loop slide buckle comprising a buckle frame having upper, lower and side bars, an out-.

extending substantially semi-circular the yielding of said button loop ing of said flexible strap fold.

7. In a loop slide buckle comprising \a buckle frame having upper, lower and side bars, an outwardly extending button-retaining loop formed in said lower bar, said loop being adapted to hold button into and out of the loop, and a strap so threaded into the slide buckle and folded around said interout of the loop only by the yielding of said flexible strap fold.

8. The combination of a rigid button loop comprising a oneiece structure portions of said strap, a middle portion of the looped strap covering one of said enlargements and a button inserted within the th r of said enlargements, the portion of the loopzd strap covering said enlargement cooperating with the button holding enlargement portion of the looped strap mit a forced engagement and disengagement of the button with the button holding enlargement.

9. In combination, a frame having spaced sides and having a third side formed witha looped portion having an openim to the interior of the irame, said opening being of substantially the same size as the loop to provide for the movement of a button into and out of engagement with the loop, a bar connecting said spaced sides, said barhaving an offset portion, and a strap folded around said bar, theqportions of said strap adjacent the fold extending from said bar in the same direction and the line of fold of the strap engaging said ofiset portion, the line of fold of said strap substantially closing the open side of the loop to yieldably maintain a button in the loop. 1

10. In combination, a frame having spaced sides and having a third side formed with a loop portion having an opening to the interior of the frame, said opening being of substantially the same size as the loop to provide for the'movement of a button into and out of engagement with the loop, means connected to the spaced sides of the frame,. said means having portionsdisposed in proximity to the loop side of the frame adjacent the open end of the loop and providing a recess opposite 'the open end of the loop, and a strap folded around said means, the portions of said strap'adjacent the fold extending from said means in the same direction, said strap being so supported by the said portions of the means as to span the recess opposite 'the' open end of the loop to yieldably maintain a button in the loop.

11. In combination, a frame having spaced sides and having a'third side formed with a loop portion having an opening to the interior of the frame, said opening being-of substantially the same size as the loop to provide for the movement of a button into and out of engagement with the loop, and a bar connecting said spaced sides, said bar having a plurality of offset portions spaced longitudinally thereof and extending toward the said loop, the arrangement being such that a strap folded around said bar will be so supported by the said offset portions of the bar that the fold of the strap substantially closes the open side of the loop to yieldably maintain a button in the.

loop.

12. A rigid button loop of one-piece structure comprising a frame providing communicating loops, one loop being adapted to receive a looped strap from which the button loop may be suspended, and the other loop being adapted to hold,

the shank of a button, an enlargement with which the strap-receiving loop is provided intermediate its length, the communicating loops being so relatively associated that'a told in the looped strap portion at such enlargement is adapted to cooperate with the button holding loop as said told normally rests behind a top portion of an inserted button within the holding loop to hold the button against unintentional release, but said told being yieldable to permit a button to be urged within and released from the button holding loop.

13. In combination, a sheet metal stamping shaped to define a substantially rectangular frame comprising side bars connected by upper, lower and intermediate transverse bars, said lower bar having a loop an opening communicating between said loop and the interior of the frame, said opening being of substantially the same size as the loop and through which opening the shank of a button must pass during movement of the button into or out of engagement with the loop, and a strap threaded forwardly over the top or one of said intermediate bars, rearwardly under the-intermediate bar adjacent said lower bar having the loop, forwardly through the space between said intermediate bars, and rearwardly over the top or said first threaded bar, the arrangement 01 said transverse bars and said strap being such as to present a looped strap around said lower intermediate bar to block the opening to the button loop.

\ LOUIS HERB.-

formed integral therewith and 

